The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts:
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aquarium hoods and more particularly to an aquarium hood which incorporates aquarium filtration apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional aquarium systems, the hobbyist generally utilizes an aquarium water filter to cleanse the debris laden fluid, such filters usually taking the form of a trough having a hook-shaped flange for suspending over the back wall of the aquarium. In addition, the aquarium may contain other air operated devices which require an air pump which is either positioned on a platform behind the aquarium, or suspended from a bracket on the back side of the aquarium, the intent of the hobbyist usually being to place unsightly apparatus on the rear wall to permit unobstructed viewing through at least three walls of the aquarium. An aquarium hood is also usually employed to cover the open top of the aquarium, the hood generally containing illuminating means such as a flourescent lamp which is electrically operated. With the electrically operated lamp, the electrically operated pump of the filter, and the electrically operated air pump, unsightly electrical cords and cord connectors are viewable through the aquarium unless artfully concealed.
Aquarium hoods have been devised to contain the various apparatus to eliminate the unsightliness of hanging equipment and the unsightliness of dangling electrical cords, one such device being shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,795 in which a single hood unit contains various devices for illuminating, oxygenating, filtering, heating, irradiating and otherwise treating aquarium water. In this device, the water pump is placed beneath the level of the water within the aquarium to remove water therefrom for passage through a treatment device contained wholly within the hood enclosure.
Another such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,199 wherein the water treatment compartment is contained wholly within the enclosure of the hood.
Such devices and other similar devices, in the event of water leakage, create electrical shock hazards due to the provision within the enclosure of electrically operated apparatus such as pumps, lamps, or the like.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved aquarium hood having an enclosure for containing apparatus therein with cleansed water discharge means below the plane of the hood.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved aquarium hood containing filtration apparatus.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an aquarium hood having a filtration housing with means for sealing in the moisture within the filtration housing.